In the production of such mailing items the outer sides or contents parts of all mailing items produced in sequence feature differing information of the aforementioned kind. This information needs to correspond or be the same for each mailing item. This necessitates monitoring or a machine-controlled matching action in keeping a check that each envelope is brought together with the correspond information and then combined into the mailing item. The mailing item can only be opened by a sealing connection being destroyed or damaged. For this purpose the envelope must be torn open or a temporary seal, such as a fugitive seal, released, where applicable without it being destroyed. It is not until then that each part of the contents as a whole can be removed from the envelope.
The cited matching action in bringing the personalizations on the envelope and the contents of the mailing item into agreement is more particularly necessary when these mailing items are prefabricated on separate production or printing machines as endless webs. In these machines the mailing items are produced longitudinally in sequence and in the same sequence as regards the personalization. Following prefabrication the endless webs are transferred again by compacting into separate storages, such as rolls or zig-zag stacks. The storages are then brought together in a further, separate machine and combined into the finished mailing item, where applicable. In this arrangement the personalized endless web is redrawn from the storage and then slit before being cross-cut into individual sheets. The sheets are then each folded crosswise once or several times so that they fit in the envelope which is shorter as compared to their length. At the end of the folding action the folded sheets are stacked one on the other in the folded condition. Likewise, the already prefabricated envelopes subsequently personalized in a separate machine can be collated as regards the personalization in the same sequence as the sheets in a stack separate from the latter, this stack being separate from the sheets.
With a further machine, for example a so-called enveloping machine, the envelopes and contents parts belonging to each other, namely having the same personalization, are removed from the cribbed stacks and compiled. In this arrangement the two cover sheets of the envelope located one on the other leave the unclosed envelope opening still accessible at the top edge of the envelope over the width thereof. To widen the envelope opening the cover sheets need to be spread apart, after which the enveloper or inserter stuffs the contents parts through the envelope opening between the cover sheets. After this, the envelope opening can be closed by folding over a closure flap which is sealed or latched by the cited connection in its closing position. In this method the two cover sheets may be positionally located relative to each other by side flaps transversely adjoining the envelope opening and located between the cover sheets as well as adjoining the ends of the envelope opening. Thus, the envelope is closed or defined by a fold not only at the bottom edge facing away from its opening but also at one or both side edges.
Matching is not necessary when envelope and contents of each mailing item are produced as cross-strips from an endless web and are thus personalized first integrally one adjoined to the other. After this, the side strip of the endless web intended as the contents for the mailing items in sequence can be folded multi-ply once or several times about folding lines using a plough-type folder, these folding lines being located parallel to the longitudinal direction of the endless web. With cuts, oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction of the endless web the contents strips are then sub-divided into single contents sections which follow each other in sequence and are narrower than the envelope. The width extension of the envelope lies parallel to the longitudinal direction of the endless web, whereby the side or marginal strip intended for producing the envelope directly adjoins the contents strip, namely expediently with the top edge of one of its cover sheets, more particularly the rear sheet.
The folded contents strip is then folded about a folding line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the endless web onto the inner side of the corresponding cover sheet or to the envelope strip still spread out in a single plane. After this, the contents strip is parted in this position from the envelope strip by a cut parallel to the longitudinal direction of the endless web. This is followed by the envelope strip being folded two-ply together with the folded contents strip about a folding line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the endless web, as a result of which the contents are located in position relative to the envelope strip totally between the folded strips. These folded strips are intended for production of the two cover sheets of each envelope. The envelopes which until this time are still in one piece in the longitudinal direction of the endless web are then parted from each other by cuts transversely to the longitudinal direction, namely in producing the side edges of the envelopes. This results in the separated and singled mailing items being created. It is here, however, that the inner sides of the cover sheets are secured to each other in the region of the side edges directly by bonding or the like, this being the reason why no side flaps or folds are provided on the side edges of the envelope. The envelope features such folds only at the bottom and top edge. The working width of the machine or the width of the endless web also limit the size in the contents or the number of contents parts.